Apparatus for the preparation of mammalian specimens for cryopreservation and/or vitrification, and for thawing and using susch specimens

Abstract

A biological specimen processing dish assembly includes a dish portion for use in treating specimens such as oocytes, embryos, tissues, and the like sequientially with different reagents or media. The dish includes a plurality of geometrically arranged wells disposed in related sets. The wells are operative to receive reagents or media for the use in treatment of the specimens in question. The specimens can be subjected to a sequence of different treatment media in the wells in a set thereof so as to provide a coherant device for subjecting specimens to a treatment procedure that requires the specimens to be subjected to different media or reagents during sequencial steps in the treatment protocol. The dish can be partially filled with a layer of oil that overlies the reagents in the wells and protects the specimens from exposure to air during the treatment protocol. The dish can be provided with an internal partition that segments the dish so as to provide a plurality of wells that will not be covered by the oil layer. The assembly can also include a cover for overlying the dish so as to provide areas where protocol information can be displayed to enable the technician to properly use the dish assembly in performance of the treatment protocols.

1 . A container for use in the preparation of mammalian specimens for cryopreservation and/or vitrification, and for thawing and using such specimens, said container comprising:
 a) a first compartment containing a plurality of specimen-receiving wells, said wells being arranged in a grid pattern comprising columns and rows of aligned wells;   b) side walls surrounding said first compartment so as to isolate said grid of wells from ambient surroundings; and   c) at least two shelves disposed adjacent to two adjacent ones of said side walls, said shelves providing surfaces upon which information regarding the specimens in each of said rows and columns of wells can be displayed.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1  further comprising a second compartment separated from said first compartment by a wall, said second compartment containing a column of wells in which individual wells in said column are aligned with corresponding wells in the columns thereof in said first compartment. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 2  wherein one of said shelves is also disposed adjacent to said second compartment. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 3  further comprising specimen specific information displayed on said shelves in areas of said shelves which are aligned with individual rows and columns of said wells. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 4  wherein said wells are formed as depressions in a bottom wall of said container. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 5  further comprising indicia disposed on said bottom wall adjacent to each well, said indicia identifying the location of the column and row of each of said wells in said grid. 
     
     
         7 . A container assembly for use in the preparation of mammalian specimens for cryopreservation and/or vitrification, and for thawing and using such specimens, said container comprising:
 a) a first compartment containing a plurality of specimen-receiving wells, said wells being arranged in a grid pattern comprising columns and rows of aligned wells;   b) side walls surrounding said first compartment so as to isolate said grid of wells from ambient surroundings; and   c) at least two shelves disposed adjacent to two adjacent ones of said side walls, said shelves providing surfaces upon which information regarding the specimens in each of said rows and columns of wells can be displayed.   
     
     
         8 . The container assembly of  claim 7  further comprising a second compartment separated from said first compartment by a wall, said second compartment containing a column of wells in which individual wells in said column are aligned with corresponding wells in the columns thereof in said first compartment. 
     
     
         9 . The container assembly of  claim 8  further comprising a cover member for overlying said first and second compartments, said cover member including visually distinct areas which overlie each of the wells in said first and second compartments, said visually distinct areas providing means for displaying information about the contents of each of the respective underlying wells in said first and second compartments. 
     
     
         10 . The container assembly of  claim 9  wherein said cover member includes means for keying its position relative to said first and second compartments to ensure that each of said visually distinct areas is aligned and overlies corresponding ones of said wells.